Merry Christmas All

Hi Everyone.
I bet you have been wondering where I have been.
There are so many things to catch up on.
We did some traveling into Virginia, Delaware, Maryland and South Carolina in April and May (I hope to catch you up on those visits soon).
In May we decided to return to North Carolina to spend the summer with Patty.
Pamm and Patty spent their birthday together (in June) for the first time in 29 years.
After much discussion and planning Jan and Pamm decided to go into business with Patty.
Patty has been a Pet Photographer for the last 5 years here in Raleigh as well as traveling around North Carolina and Virginia. We formed a company together with her call Shutter Paws Imging. (You can see our website at www.shutterpaws.com) We travel around to dog events, agility mostly, and set up to take portraits of dogs and their people. Recently we have started taking action shots at the events. We then make various items with the pictures on them. You can see all of the stuff we make on our web site. Patty still does the portrait photography, but Pamm has now joined her as photographer, taking many of the action shots. We plan to continue working events locally (North Carolina and Virginia) for a while. We then want to get back on the road, traveling the country taking pictures at dog events and seeing the sights along the way.
I had no idea how much time starting a new business takes! I mostly just sit and watch Jan, Pamm and Patty work. I have to stay up high away from Maggie, Tucker and Pete (well mostly Pete) as they are dogs and love to chew stuffed things! Yikes!
I am looking forward to getting back on the road. (I really miss getting my picture taken with all of the cute girls that love teddy bears!!!)
Until then, I will try to get Pamm to help me catch you all up on the rest of our travels.
Best wishes for a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a wonderful NEW YEAR!

Gloucester Virginia Agility

Relaxing after a long day . The bandanna is a gift from Bon-Clyde Canine Professionals. They train dogs for acting. I wonder if they could put me in a commercial, bears can act, too! See, this is me acting cool!

Pamm's sister Patty had an agility competition near the Yorktown, Williamsburg area. We drove up to Gloucester to watch her dogs in action.This is Maggie "The Black Bullet" in action.

This is Mach 4 Tucker (Master Agility Champion 4 times).

Here I am with Maggie, Tucker and Pete.

Yorktown, Virginia

The Battle of Yorktown was the climax of the Revolutionary War. The combined forces of General Washington, General Rochambeau, Admiral de Grasse, and General Lafayette all converged on the greatest concentration of British troops in America.On October 19, 1781, a British army under General Charles Lord Cornwallis was forced to surrender to General Washington’s combined American and French army. The victory secured independence for the United States and significantly changed the course of world history.

This is the Moore House where the British surrendered to the American and French Armies.

This is the room where George Washington met with Cornwallis to accept the British surrender.

Naval ships played a vital role in the American fight for freedom. I liked all the different kinds of cannons on the various battlefields and in the museums.

Fortunately the best use now for these cannons is for a bear playground!

This is a mortar cannon.

Don't fire now!

Here I am next to George Washington. He was very tall!
I can't remember what these baskets are called, but they were used to build the earthwork defenses. They were first filled with rocks and then covered with dirt to make the earthen berms.

This is the Victory Monument in Yorktown. As we were walking back to the truck we heard pipes and drums. It turned out to be a group of school kids marching up the street, practicing for this years big events commemorating the 400 year birthday of the United States.

This is Anya. She was our tour Guide at Yorktown. She is here from Moscow, Russia for training with the US Parks Department. I liked her accent.

Jamestown, Virginia - America's 400th Year

Jamestown is the oldest American settlement, settled in 1607. We visited the site of the original fort at Jamestown. Archaeologists recently uncovered the original layout of the fort. Much of it was thought to be lost to the encroaching James River, but evidence was uncovered that showed that much of the original fort is still on land.I am standing next to a statute of Pocahantas, located on the site of the original Jamestown village. Do you know where Pocohantas is buried? Not here!

Here we are in our Jamestown t-shirts.
I look like a real tourist!

I am with a very nice Ranger. The building behind us is a very, very old church, which is still used to this day for services. (Rangers have the coolest hats!)
This gentleman is another Ranger who gave us a very interesting tour of Jamestown. He told us that Pocahantas is buried in England! This picture was taken inside the church.

The "stick" building in the background is a reconstruction of the original. It is being built on the original site with methods, tools and materials that would have been available in the 1600's. I watched them for a while and it looked like really hard work! What a great way to travel!
(What you would caption this picture?)

On to Virginia! Williamsburg

Our next stop was Williamsburg, Virginia and the Historic Triangle (Includes Jamestown and Yorktown)

Boo! Scared you didn't I?

Here I am with Jan resting on the main street of historic Williamsburg.

Here we are tired but happy.

This is the "gaol" or what we call a "jail". Work was being done inside the building. We didn't get to go in.
This sign contains information about the jail. Jan said the "bad guys" today have it way too good.

Here I am with some terrific people from Canada!

Can you see me? I'm on the brown horse - I'm the one without a hat.

"Thanks JB. This is another fine mess you got us into." (Why do I always get blamed?)

Jan said this is a "paddy wagon" because the driver's name is "Paddy". (I don't believe him)

I woke up from my nap and "wow"...look at this guy; right out of history!

Here I am at the entrance to the "Governor's Palace". This nice lady is wearing clothing of the 1700's.

The gentleman is explaining to us that all the swords behind him had been used in several battles in American History and then returned to the walls. There are hundreds of them. This picture was taken inside the Governor's Palace in Historic Williamsburg.
The tour guides provide information that helps you understand the history of Williamsburg. This nice gentleman was our guide at the Governor's Palace.

Another kind person I met in Williamsburg.

This is the private or backside of the Governor's Palace. It was really neat. See the hedges? Jan got lost in them.

North Carolina Coast

Fort Fisher Historic Site. This is the location of the Confederate Fort that protected blockade runners from the Federal Navy. Fort Fisher was the last stronghold on the Atlantic coast for the Confederacy during the American Civil War. It finally fell after a prolonged naval bombardment, followed by a battle between soldiers. Many brave men fell during this engagement.
We had some great meals at the Waffle House in Wilmington. Here I am pictured with a new friend. She was just wonderful and made sure my milk was cold. (It was nice that they let bears in the restaurant!)
Here I am at the entrance to the Carolina Beach State Park. The burnt ground and trees behind me are part of the Park's department planned management to assist future forest growth. By reducing the vegetation on the ground, seedlings have a better chance of survival. Plus fuel for forest fires is removed. This makes sense to me and I bet Smokey Bear would say so too!

Fun At The Beach

I finally got a chance to get out of my uniform and into some swim trunks to play on the beach. As you might guess, I don't care for the water, but I do love the beach!

After building sandcastles it is time for some sunbathing. Sunscreen...$3.99, cool Frapachino....$1.89, the waves crashing nearby.... priceless!

Where did the dolphins go?

Calling All Visitors

I have met many wonderful people in my travels. I have invited many to share our adventures and I would like to know how many of you visit my blog. If you would please leave me a note on this posting to let me know you are there, I would greatly love to hear from you.
JB

Some of you have inquired about my safety while traveling in the truck. I can assure you that I am secure in my very own car seat.

From Ocean to Ocean

My first look at the Atlantic Ocean.

Jan and I enjoying the beach.
Patty, Sue and Pamm

The dolphins were a little camera shy.

New friends.

Um! Helloooo. I am trapped in the claws of a giant crab and everybody just wants to take a picture!

Saturday the 3^rd, we headed for Carolina Beach and our first view of the Atlantic Ocean. We have now made it from Sea to Shining Sea! Patty also drove down in her class-C motorhome with her dogs, and Sue and her dogs came in her car and stayed in a local hotel. It was so much fun to camp with Pamm’s sisters. Living on different coasts, we appreciate the chance to be together. We walked on the beach and collected sea shells. The beach is very different from the Northwest Coast beaches. The sand is much finer and lighter in color. There are few rocks, but many shells. We saw dolphins swimming just off shore. On Sunday we went to the Aquarium. I thought it would just be like the one we went to in Oregon, but it was very different. I think that the jellyfish were the only things we saw that were the same.

Swimmin' with the fishes!

Wow! This close and I don't have to get wet!

Wow! This close and I don't have to get eaten!
YIKES!!!!

Can you spot the seahorse?